Board votes to switch New Hartford Library to school district

The New Hartford Library Board of Trustees took its first step Tuesday night toward a plan that would sever ties with the town.

KESHIA CLUKEY

The New Hartford Library Board of Trustees took its first step Tuesday night toward a plan that would sever ties with the town.

The board voted in favor of a resolution to change from a municipal public library to a school district library.

As a district library, the budget and board members would be directly decided on by school district voters and taxes would be collected through the district.

“This is the ultimate public vote,” said Board President Linda E. Romano. “They’re going to be heard loud and clear, and it’s going to sail or it’s going to fail based on the vote of the people.”

The change could decrease taxes for town residents and increase them for those living in the New Hartford School District.

“We’re hoping it’s more of a wash to the taxpayer,” Romano said.

Over the past several years, the town of New Hartford, the library’s largest source of funding, has been decreasing its contributions, as has Oneida County.

The 2012 town budget allocates $400,000 to the library, the remainder of which would be a savings to the town if the library changes over in May.

The amount saved would go to the town fund balance, Town Supervisor Patrick Tyksinski said.

The following year’s budget no longer would be allocating funding to the library. Tyksinski said that if that occurs, the change would amount to a tax reduction in his proposed 2013 budget.

Once the official decision is made, there are a number of steps the library must take, including holding public informational meetings, a public hearing, a petition and referendum, Romano said.

If the re-chartering proposition is voted down, the library will remain a municipal public library and continue on with the budgeted $400,000 this year.

As a school district library, the New Hartford Library’s budget would be voted on at the same time as the district in May, Romano said.

After the budget is passed it is not subject to an annual vote, unless the library chooses to increase the amount. Should the increased amount be voted down, the library would remain at its original funding amount, Romano said.

The details haven’t been worked out, but the library could be looking to generate around $500,000, and possibly as much as $600,000 from school district taxpayers. To bring in $500,000, it would mean an additional tax levy of 37 cents per $1,000 in assessed value, library officials said.

There are 755 public libraries in the state, currently 148 of which are school district libraries, said Michael Borges, executive director of the New York Library Association.

This compares to the 47 special district libraries 180 municipal libraries and 354 association libraries, he said.

The state Library Association recommends the school district option as it is more accountable, stable and transparent, Borges said.

It’s more predictable, said Wanda Bruchis, executive director of the Mid-York Library System.

“They know that every year, unless they ask for more money, that this is what they can budget for,” she said. “It helps them manage their operational budget better.”

Locally, other libraries that have gone the school district route include the Dunham Public Library in Whitesboro, the Canastota Library and most recently the Poland District Public Library, Bruchis said.

After switching in 2007, the library saw an increase in funding because the pool of taxpayers was increased from just the village to include surrounding areas, said Monica Gandara, a Poland library trustee.